Crutch



A. R. HUNTER.

CRUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, I917. 1,331,109. Patented Feb. 17,1920;

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ANDREW RITCHIE HUNTER, 0F WELBECK, NEAR WORKSOP, ENGLAND.

Application filed May 15, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW RITCHIE HUNTER, a. subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Pine Lodge, lVelbeck, near Vorksop, in the county of Nottingham, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or relating to Crutches, of which the following is a specification.

This iny ention relates to certain improe ments in crutches, of the kind which are adaptable to different lengths of arm and heights of patients.

These improvements are more generally applicable to crutches of the kind made in the form of two stems united below the handle into one ending with the foot, and they will be described with reference to these, though by suitable modifications, they may also be applied to crutches of other shapes.

A preferred form of crutch with my improvements are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a general view of my improved two-stemmed crutch made mainly of steel tubing;

Fig. 2, a portion of the scale partly in section.

In order to make the crutch head adaptable to different heights, as illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, I form the two stems each in two lengths A and B, of difi'erent diameters, so that such lengths can telescope one into the other, the higher A, being preferably the larger. The lower ends of the enveloping tubes A are outwardly tapered, screwthreaded and split, and over them are screwed threaded ring nuts C adapted to compress the said split ends and clamp them around the inner tubes when adjusted to the desired height.

To increase the bite of the clamp and avoid any risk of slipping, the end of the same on a larger Specification of Letters Patent.

kind which has a Patented Feb. 17, 1920. Serial No. 168,687.-

split tube may have an inwardly burred edge or corrugated bore and the inner tube corresponding annular grooves or corrugations.

To adapt the crutch handle D to different arm lengths, it is mounted, in the example in Figs. 1 and 2, at each end in the side of a sleeve E. These sleeves are adapted to slide up and down the parallel stems B of the crutch, and are provided at either or each end with sleeve-nuts F and clamping arrangements as described for the stem adj usting parts. The crutch head Q, is united to the stems by means of sockets R formed or attached below it into which the stems A are inserted and secured.

At the end of the united double stem, a ferrule P (Fig. 1) may be provided of the downwardly opening socket with a rubber plug or ball S embedded therein, leaving its lower portion exposed as a foot.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A crutch comprising spaced support ing members, a handle spanning said supporting members, slit sleeves carried by said handle and slidably mounted on said sup- .porting member, and means for constricting said sleeve to clampingly engage said sup porting members whereby said sleeve will be locked against movement upon said members.

2. A crutch comprising spaced supporting members, a. handle spanning said supporting members, slitsleeves formed on said handle and slidably mounted on said supporting members, threaded extensions formed on said sleeves, and collars threadedly engaging said extensions.

JOHN M. SAVAGE, EDITH M. NEWTON. 

